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As we move into 2018 and take stock of all that transpired last year, it is clear that our work has never mattered more nor is it more urgent. Our professions and those we work with are responding to threats, setbacks and barriers that emerge as we go about our business of building healthy communities, families and individuals, as well as movements that affect change. To those of you in social work and human services professions, thank you for your dedication and courage as you support our community through the most complicated social justice ecosystem in recent history.

I hope you’ll enjoy this issue of Highlights & Happenings which includes recent news about our U.S. News & World Report rankings, details about our upcoming Culture & Conversation series and amazing accomplishments by our faculty and students. We’ve been busy and look forward to an even busier spring!

Here’s to a busy and impactful 2018 ahead.

Laura Burney Nissen
Dean and Professor

Highlights

School of Social Work ranked in top 20% of programs nationally

The School of Social Work at Portland State University has been ranked among the top 20% of all social work programs nationally, according to the US News and World Report 2018 rankings for social work programs in the US.

According to the new list, out of over 250 surveyed MSW programs nationally, the School of Social Work is ranked #38 and is ranked #2 among programs in the Pacific Northwest. Only the University of Washington’s #5 program is ranked higher in the Pacific Northwest.

“We’re thrilled to be recognized once again as a leading social work school in the US,” said Laura Nissen, dean of the School of Social Work. “Our School’s unique blend of high-quality academics, cutting-edge research and community grounded training programs improves the lives of individuals and communities in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest every day.”

The School of Social Work produced a recap of a few of the many projects, successes and other achievements of its faculty, staff, researchers and workforce developers from 2016-17 year and first term of 2017-18.

Visit our Year in Review 2016-17 to learn more about the important work that the School of Social Work has been engaged in this past year. Congratulations to all for another exciting and productive year!

Friends and Family Night at McMenamins nets over $1,000

We’re thrilled to report that our second annual Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub benefiting the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund raised $1,280 for students in need.

Thanks to those of you who supported this important cause by dining with us in February. Our student emergency need is great and this donation will help immensely.

Social work students present poster at the Latino Social Work Organization Conference

This year, the School of Social Work sent a total of 19 students across the BSW, MSW Portland, MSW Distance option and Online Option programs to the Latino Social Work Organization Conference held in Seattle in March.

Bachelor’s of Social Work students Maria Ochoa, Jamie Arreguin-Perez and Rosa Garcia-Moreno presented their poster, “Community Care as Resistance: Creando una comunidad Latina at PSU School of Social Work.”

School of Social Work at MLK Tribute ’18

Members of the School of Social Work community were part of the program atMLK Tribute ’18: Walidah Imarisha, Living the Legacy: Afrofuturism & Possibilities for Oregon featuring Walidah Imarisha in January.

The event was co-emceed by Roberta Hunte, assistant professor in Child, Youth and Family Studies, and the singing of the Black National Anthem was led by SSW student Alexis Lawrence.

School of Social Work faculty and staff held an equity issues retreat last December in response to the “Expectations for Portland State University’s School of Social Work” developed and presented by the School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus (SOCC) last May.

Specifically, the team discussed:

Creating more spaces and affinity groups to support and learn from one another in pursuits to revise curriculum, course content and pedagogy

Identifying areas of improvement for implicit curriculum, including built environment and student supports outside of the classroom

Connecting with current efforts and resources within the Office of Academic Innovation and the Office of Global Diversity & Inclusion

Increasing mentoring and guidance for faculty, especially new and adjunct faculty

On November 8, the School of Social Work welcomed an official delegation from Seoul Metropolitan Government in South Korea to the SSW to reaffirm an ongoing partnership to increase scholarship and international development between us. Junghee Lee, Joyce Hamilla from International Studies and Dean Laura Nissen hosted the delegation in a welcoming and signing ceremony as they visited various officials on campus and enjoyed some exploration in Portland. We continue to value the presence of our visiting scholars from this program.

In addition, this past summer, Dr. Lee led a faculty-led program to Seoul entitled 2017 Collaborative International Field Experience between Seoul Welfare Foundation and School of Social Work at Portland State University. You can read about the experience in her overview and syllabus here and her remarks from her public address during the visit here.

Happenings

The School of Social Work at Portland State University is proud to present Culture & Conversation, a month-long series of events designed to spark campus and community dialogue around identity, equity, and community. Now entering its seventh year and scheduled throughout the month of April, the series welcomes thinkers, activists, and community leaders in lively discussions around topics impacting communities in Oregon.

Student Spotlight

Ph.D student wins City of Portland award

Ph.D student Lisha Shrestha has been named a 2017 Spirit of Portland Award recipient. Lisha was awarded PSU’s President’s Diversity Award in 2015. She is also a recipient of 2017 Spirit of Portland, Community Leader of the Year Award.

“Over the past 6 years, I have been actively involved with the refugee community in Portland Metro area through my work at Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, New Portlanders Program at the City of Portland and Elders in Action, said Shrestha. “My role as a community builder was to integrate refugee into the robust mainstream culture without losing their socio-culture identity. I initiated first refugee run farmers market in 2014 and helped 50 refugee families get a space to grow vegetables. I modified curriculum used for relationship enhancement for refugee communities. The modified culturally specific curriculum improved the participation and involvement of the refugee communities. I also initiated ASL class for hard of hearing refugee community members. It started with a volunteer-based initiative but later was funded by Northwest Health Foundation. Two of the students are also graduate of Disability Leadership Academy, City of Portland, 2017. I also engaged and advocated for refugee elders for their transportation and housing needs by partnering with local advocacy-based organizations and utilizing community resources.”

Congratulations, Lisha! We’re proud to have you a part of our School of Social Work community!

Faculty News, Publications and Presentations

News

Lisa Hawash was recently elected as Chair Elect of the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration (www.acosa.org). ACOSA is a national member-based organization focused on macro social work practice both in academia and in community organizations. It’s my go-to professional organization. Lisa has been the Convener of Governance for the past 1 1/2 years and co-led and facilitated the development of ACOSA’s multi-year strategic plan. In December 2018, she was elected as Chair Elect, a three-year term.

Brennan, E. M., Jones, K. R., & Bender, R. (2017). Gentrification and displacement: An environmental justice challenge for social work in urban environments. In M. Rinkel & M. Powers (Eds.) Social work promoting community and environmental sustainability: A workbook for global social workers and educators (pp.133-145). Berne, Switzerland: International Federation of Social Workers. -> View online

Bryson, S., Gauvin, E., Jamieson, A., Rathgeber, M., Faulkner-Gibson, L., Bell, S., et al. (2017). What are effective strategies for implementing trauma-informed care in youth inpatient psychiatric and residential treatment settings? A realist systematic review. Int J Ment Health Syst, doi: 10.1186/s13033-017-0137-3. This publication has been downloaded 5249 times and has scored in the top 10% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric, which calculates attention an article receives by users of Twitter, Facebook, and Mendeley.

Nicolaidis, C. (February 2018) “Serving Adults on the Autism Spectrum.” Webinar hosted by the CMS Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO), in collaboration with The Lewin Group as part of the Disability-Competent Care (DCC) workstream.

Abel, G., & Wahab, S. (2017). “Build a friendship with them”: The discourse of “at-risk” as a barrier to relationship building between young people who trade sex and social workers. Child and Family Social Work. Early view. DOI: 10.1111/cfs.12357

Hawash, L., Sanders, B., Soska, T. (2017). Association of Community Organization and Social Administration’s strategic visioning and the grand challenges in social work. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Dallas, TX on October 19, 2017. This presentation focused on the strategic planning process and outcomes for national organization (ACOSA), as well as ACOSA’s connection to the Special Commission and drive to extend and enhance macro practice educational offerings across the country in schools of social work.

Uretsky, M.C., Henneberger, A.K., & Woolley, M.E. (January, 2018) Graduates, dropouts, and persisters: A novel approach to understanding the correlates and consequences of non-graduation. Presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.

Uretsky, M.C.,Hoffman, J. (January, 2018) Group-based foster parent training and support programs: A meta-analytic review of the evidence.Presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research 22nd Annual Conference. Washington, D.C.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Hospital-subsidized housing for homeless people brings win-win
Hospitals in several cities are subsidizing supportive housing for homeless people, shown by studies to save money by reducing ER visits while improving clients’ health.–>Learn more

N.Y. adopts mental health curriculum
New York will become the first state to require mental health education across all grades. The curriculum will focus on the signs and symptoms of mental illness as well as aim to reduce the stigma associated with such illnesses. .-> Learn more

Trump administration freezes database of addiction and mental health programs
Federal health officials have suspended a program that helps thousands of professionals and community groups across the country find effective interventions for preventing and treating mental illness and substance use disorders. Administration officials confirmed that the contract for running the database has been terminated. A new entity will take over the program’s duties. Learn more in this Washington Post article.-> Learn more

Dallas hospital heads off crises behind frequent visits
A two-year-old outreach program at a Dallas hospital has cut into massive costs by addressing the reasons behind frequent hospital visits. The hospital launched a Center for Clinical Innovation that works with social services providers and uses advanced software to keep track of clients, allowing social workers to better monitor progress and needs. Learn more in this Politico article.-> Learn more

Heading off hardship: Social worker joins Wash. police
Problems such as addiction and homelessness that lead to conflicts with the law are the focus of a social worker newly added to the police departments of Edmonds and Lynnwood, Wash. “It is my belief that a highly skilled professional, who is capable of meeting and assessing people where they are, will be an excellent addition to our departments’ outreach efforts,” said Lynnwood Police Chief Tom Davis.-> Learn more

We urgently need to bring to our communities, the limitless capacity to love, serve and create for and with each other.– Grace Lee Boggs

Now more than ever, social work and human services values and practices that promote equity, peace and well-being for all are needed in our society.

We all have witnessed extraordinary and troubling views of intolerance, hate and violence in our communities this past year.

Despite these challenges, there is time and space for hope. It is institutions like the School of Social Work at Portland State University that will be at the forefront of deeply activating and focusing individuals and communities on building a better world.

As we head into another energized and hopeful academic year, we celebrate the important work that students, faculty, community members and social work and child, youth and family practitioners bring to the most vulnerable among us.

With your help and support, we look forward to continuing the important work the School of Social Work at Portland State University brings to our city, our state and the nation.

Highlights

We Made Our Match!

The School of Social Work at Portland State University is proud to announce that it has successfully met its fundraising goal and match to create a $500,000 endowed Maybelle Clark Macdonald Scholarship Fund for students.

For each of the past five years, the School of Social Work and PSU Foundation have raised $50,000. With the fifth year complete in 2017, the $250,000 raised by the School will be matched by the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Foundation to establish an endowed Maybelle Clark Macdonald Scholarship Fund. This fund will begin awarding scholarships to Master of Social Work (MSW) students in 2019.

Fall Student Welcoming

The School of Social Work welcomed over 300 new students to its programs during a series of welcoming and orientation events this fall.

92 new BSW students

30 new CYFS students

200 new MSW students

7 new Ph.D. students

We welcome these students to our School of Social Work community!

Student Emergency Fund Report Card

The School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund wrapped up the 2016-17 academic year by raising $4,450 to help students with emergency essentials. Through the collection of gift cards from faculty, staff, students and interested community members at events throughout the year, the program served 30 students in 2016-17 with 70% of recipientsfirst generation college students. These gift cards are used by students in need to purchase groceries, gas and house supplies.

If you would like to donate gift cards to help a student in need, please drop them off with Marina Barcelo in ASRC 620V or mail them to her at Marina Barcelo, Portland State University, Social Work, School of (SSW), PO Box 751, Portland, OR 97207. You may also make a cash donation directly via our School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund donation site.

New Hybrid Bachelor’s in Social Work Program

Beginning fall 2018 students can earn their BSW with classes online and in Eugene, Oregon, with a hybrid online and face-to-face Bachelor’s in Social Work degree (BSW) from the School of Social Work.

In this new hybrid program, that admits its first entering class in fall 2018, students will complete 80% of courses online and 20% face-to-face in Eugene, Oregon. This makes our hybrid BSW perfect for community college transfer students, working adults, and for students who live outside the Portland area. Students will complete their first year of courses entirely online. In the second year, students attend some classes online and others face-to-face on the weekends in Eugene, Oregon. They’ll learn from the same faculty and instructors that teach in our on-campus program in Portland and gain rigorous training and practical experience to build social work skills and a solid foundation for social service careers.

The School of Social Work conducted its first ever teaching excellence symposium this fall. The symposium was designed to help faculty explore how various teaching methods intersect with various teaching philosophies, how to maintain a student centered focus as an inclusive pedagogy, and to leave the session with a personal commitment with a plan for teaching excellence.

The School of Social Work recently updated its diversity and inclusion webpage. In addition to outlining schoolwide activities focused on diversity and inclusion, the page highlights the efforts of specific academic and research units within the School.

The School is committed to equity and inclusion in all of its academic, research, training, professional development, and community program offerings to students, faculty, staff, field instructors, campus partners, and community members.

Leah Brookner, a doctoral student in the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research, successfully defended her dissertation on Friday, October 27, 2017. Her dissertation, entitled “ Is Therapy Going To The Dogs? , Evaluating Animal Assisted Therapy for E arly I dentified A t-risk C hildren ,” was reviewed by committee members (as pictured) Vicki Cotrell, Ph.D. , Maria Talbott, Ph.D. (Chair), Eric Mankowski, Ph.D. (OGS Rep) and Michael Taylor, Ph.D. Congratulations, Dr. Brookner!

New Faces in the SSW

Matt Chorpenning, MSW, has joined the School as an instructor. After completing his MSW at PSU, Matt was a research fellow at the Center to Advance Racial Equity and the site supervisor for the SHINE Community School program at Kinnaman Elementary School. He has been a field supervisor at SSW since 2015 and an adjunct since 2016, teaching both on campus and online courses.

Matt’s area of academic focus is on macro-level social work, community organizing, systemic change efforts, and policy, especially poverty policy and racial equity policy in the United States. He has published two reports with the Center to Advance Racial Equity.

Adrienne Graf, MSW, has joined the School as field placement development specialist. Adrienne earned her MSW from the School of Social Work at Portland State in 2010. Her most recent position was in Portland State University’s Women’s Resource Center as a sexual and relationship violence prevention coordinator. She comes to the School of Social Work with 9 years of experience supporting students affected by domestic and sexual violence. She has also held adjunct teaching positions in PSU’s Master of Social Work and public administration programs.

Adrienne’s academic interests include harm reduction theory and practice, mitigating trauma exposure from interpersonal violence by working alongside survivors navigating systems engagement, institutional betrayal, and how social work policy and practice intersect with the sex trades.

Adrienne enjoys spending time with her girlfriend Leigh and their 17 year old chihuahua Nibbles, water aerobics, tending to her massive houseplant collection and procuring new plants, planning vacations to warm climates, learning how to cook new dishes and perfect old recipes, stockpiling nail polish, and attending local queer community events. Adrienne may be reached at agraf@pdx.edu and (503) 725-8592.

Roberta Hunte, Ph.D., has been named an assistant professor in Child, Youth, and Family Studies in the School of Social Work at Portland State University.

Dr. Hunte is an educator, facilitator, and cultural worker. Her academic interests include reproductive justice, women of color feminism, cultural work for social change, and Black women in construction. She facilitates trainings on equity, diversity and inclusion. She is a collaborator on the play “My Walk Has Never Been Average” and a short film entitled “Sista in the Brotherhood,” both of which are informed by her research on Black tradeswomen. She also helped create a devised theater piece based on reproductive stories from people of color and transgender people.

Roberta earned her Ph.D. in peace and conflict studies from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada in 2012. She is not new to our PSU community. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Hunte was a full-time assistant professor in Black Studies, Conflict Resolution, and Women Gender and Sexuality Studies. She has also held adjunct appointments at Portland Community College in political science and women’s studies. Dr. Hunte’s position is a shared line between CYFS and University Studies.

Katie King has joined the School as the new development officer for the School of Social Work. Susan Brennan, who was the School’s development officer briefly this summer left the PSU Foundation this fall to move back east to be closer to family. Katie has been with Portland State since 2015 where she worked closely with PSU’s athletics department to complete the Viking Pavilion project. Katie is a native of the Pacific Northwest and previously held development positions at the University of Houston and the University of Tennessee. To get in touch with Katie, email her at kingk@psuf.org or call her at (503) 725-2500.

Jessica Rodriguez-JenKins, Ph.D., is a new assistant professor for the BSW and MSW programs. She completed her Ph.D. at University of Washington’s School of Social Work. She engages in practice-informed qualitative and quantitative research centering on how best to support parenting among vulnerable families with young children. Jessica is interested in partnering with community providers to develop sustainable, culturally appropriate, interventions that support multi-level factors that affect parent-child relationships. Her dissertation research examines possible predictors of nurturing parenting among Mexican and Puerto Rican origin mothers with young children vulnerable to the child welfare system.

As a licensed clinical social worker, Jessica brings her extensive practice experience in serving children and families in community mental health and perinatal medical social work to inform her research and teaching. Jessica’s research interests focus on the promotion of family well-being through strengthening parenting practices, supporting parent-child relationships, and understanding cultural and contextual factors that influence parenting beliefs, specifically within marginalized families.

Happenings

Public Health Portland Style!

Join the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health for Public Health Portland Style!#8 Stop Overdose: Safe consumption spaces.

Several months ago, Public Health Portland Style came together to talk about the opiate crisis in Oregon. We know that here in the Portland Metro Area 1 person dies every other day from a drug overdose. Mental Health America ranked Oregon 51st in the nation for access to mental health and addiction services and our death rates from Hepatitis C are double the national average. Join us in the conversation about initiative strategies to help keep people who use drugs alive. Safer Consumptions Spaces (SCS) are places where people can bring pre-obtained drugs to use with trained staff to help assist in the event of an emergency. They provide clean injection supplies in a clean environment staffed by people who are not only trained to respond to an overdose but offer kindness, respect, referrals and health information to people using in these spaces. SCS are operated in over 70 Cities around the world have prevented countless deaths and HIV/HCV infections however there are currently none operating legally in the United States.

This event brings together Shannon Riley, the Regional Project Manager for the Overdose Emergency Response in Vancouver BC. Shannon’s previous experience in overdose relevant work comes from both nursing at Insite, the 1st SCS in Vancouver, and managing a clinic in a homeless drop-in center in San Francisco. Bridget Bassett, a long time harm reductionist who has worked and volunteered in HIV /STD prevention for over 9 years and is a former heroin user who will talk about her experience using on the streets of Portland and how harm reduction services enabled her path to recovery. And Haven Wheelock, Drug users’ health advocate and the Injection Drug Users’ Health Services Program Coordinator for Outside In. She is advocating for evidence based policies to improve the lives and health of people who use drugs, like safe consumption spaces.

Join the School of Social Work this November for She Also Served, a Lunch & Learn series. Led by Elizabeth Estabrooks, Oregon Women Veterans Coordinator, this series is not to miss.

In this three-part series, students will gain a broader idea of what is included (or excluded) when the word “veteran” is used. What are the intesectionalities of being a veteran? How does the word “veteran” exclude women, persons of color, and LGBTQ veterans? What are the facts that you don’t hear about women veterans unless you go looking for them? Each of these three sessions is designed to stand alone, but attending all three provides you with deeper, broader understanding.

This free series is open to all students and community members. Please bring your lunch–lunch is not provided. For information on how join via Google Hangout, contact Marina Barcelo at mbarcelo@pdx.edu.

PSU Day of Giving 2017

Tuesday, November 28 is Giving Tuesday – a global day of giving fueled by the power of shared action! The School of Social Work is proud to participate in this special day by joining in the first-ever university-wide PSU Day of Giving dedicated to supporting the schools and programs that make a difference in our community, #PDXGiveChange.

Make a gift to the School of Social Work and your contribution will be used to fund important student scholarships that help support the next generation of social workers and human services professionals.

Remember, gifts of any size can make a big difference. Join with your fellow Vikings and help advance the causes that create positive change in our community. Mark your calendar and support the School of Social Work on November 28!

Faculty Spotlight

Susanne Klawetter, LCSW, Ph.D.(c), has joined the School of Social Work as an assistant professor as part of the MSW faculty. Susanne completed her Ph.D. at the University of Denver, where her dissertation research examined the development of Warm Connections, an integrative behavioral health intervention, in partnership with the University of Colorado School of Medicine. In addition, she was a co-investigator on a multi-site research project that explores maternal mental health and maternal engagement in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Susanne’s scholarship is focused on promoting human health and wellness, particularly for women and children. Specific research interests include social determinants of maternal and child health, preterm birth, maternal and infant mental health, and early childhood intervention in an effort to advocate for health equity.

Susanne Klawetter is a licensed clinical social worker with over six years post-MSW experience working with families. In addition to clinical practice experience and research training, she is a seasoned educator with over six years of teaching experience in social work and public health programs.

Outside of her work, Susanne enjoys running, being outdoors, listening to live music, and animals. She and her partner, Chad Klawetter, have triplet 10 year olds – Olivia, Sam, and Zoe – and a 1 year old Labrador named Daisy.

Donor Spotlight

At Portland State’s annual 2017 Simon Benson Dinner on November 9, Barre Stoll ’89, MSW ’92 was presented with the Award for Alumni Achievement. Barre earned her bachelor of science in psychology in 1989 and her master’s degree in social work from PSU in 1992, as well as a doctorate in clinical psychology from Pacific University.

A retired licensed clinical psychologist, Barre has worked at Reed College and Stand for Children and is a tireless community volunteer. She is currently a member of the PSU Foundation’s Board of Trustees, where she is chair of the Philanthropy Committee. Barre served on the Leadership Gifts Committee for PSU’s Creating Futures Scholarship Campaign and on the Graduate School of Social Work Advisory Board.

Seeing the obstacles many of her classmates faced in completing their education has driven her involvement with the university over the years. She also served on an Advisory Board for the Dean of Pacific University Graduate School of Psychology as well as several community boards, including St. Mary’s Home for Boys, Parents Anonymous of Oregon and Waverly Children’s Home. For more than two decades, Barre and her husband, Robert, have been generous supporters of PSU and received the President’s Award for Outstanding Philanthropy in 2004.

Thank you for your generosity and service to PSU and the School of Social Work, Barre. We appreciate the many ways you shaped the lives of so many of our students!

Faculty News

PSU receives $1.9M grant to prepare social work students to practice integrated behavioral health

Portland State University’s School of Social Work recently received a $1.9 million federal grant to prepare social work graduate students to practice effectively in integrated behavioral health settings, particularly to serve people across the lifespan in rural and/or medically underserved communities.

The four-year Health Resources and Services Administration grant for Behavioral Health Workforce for Education and Training will provide education to a new generation of social work professionals with the practice skills to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations throughout Oregon. Of the 136 grants awarded, only 58 were awarded to social work programs and PSU’s is the only one of three awarded in the Northwest.

Led School of Social Work Assistant Professor Ericka Kimball, Ph.D., the Behavioral Health Integration Project (BHIP) will build upon the current Integrated Care Project (ICP) that has educated students in integrated care with a focus on children, youth and families. BHIP will expand the number of social work professionals with education and training in behavioral health integration to work in a variety of health settings across the lifespan. In addition, it will focus on increasing the number of social work professionals with historically marginalized and/or intersectional identities to work in integrated behavioral health care.

29 Master of Social Work students in each project year will be selected to receive a stipend of $10,000 over the nine months of their advanced year of study. In addition, the project will provide professional development funds to field instructors to advance expertise in integrated behavioral health care settings serving rural and/or medically underserved populations.

Sabbatical adventures through podcast

Portland State University School of Social Work faculty member Pam Miller, Ph.D., returned this fall from a year-long sabbatical that took her on some extensive international travel.

To share her experiences with our community, Dr. Miller created a video and audio podcast in which she reflects on her teaching, learning and research experiences while away.

In her video, learn more about Pam’s travels and experiences in France, Japan, and Poland, and hear her reflections on social work education in other parts of the world.

In her podcast, we talk with Pam about why faculty take sabbaticals and learn what observations and lessons she’ll be bringing back to PSU.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

CBS News recently aired an original broadcast online called “Portland | Race Against the Past.”
The original looks at a legacy of “white supremacy in Portland (which) is never far from the surface, and in reality, has never been that well hidden,” according to anthropologists and academics who have studied Portland’s history.-> Watch video

NASW Revises Code of Ethics
In August 2017, the NASW Delegate Assembly approved the most substantive revision to the NASW Code of Ethics since 1996. The 2017 revisions to the Code focus largely on the use of technology and the implications of technology for ethical practice. The new Code goes into effect on January 1, 2018. Copies of the new Code will be available November 1, 2017. You can pre-order a copy by calling NASW Press at 800.227.3590. View Frequently Asked Questions for a listing of the revised sections of the Code.-> Learn more

Recognizing child welfare’s debt to research
Research has had profound influence on US child welfare policy, dating back to the landmark Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, social work scholar Richard Barth observes. He warns, however, that one-size-fits-all measures backed by insufficient data still plague the foster care system.-> Learn more

Multi-part team takes on Oregon jail’s revolving door
The Lane County Jail in Eugene, Ore., is working with a host of service providers to address homelessness and mental health conditions that keep inmates coming back after release. “Jail is not what it was — we’re not interested in warehousing people,” said Capt. Dan Buckwald.-> Learn more

Campus sexual assault: Should restorative justice be an option?
The approach – which includes facilitated discussions – shows potential for bringing closure to survivors and stopping repeat offenses. But critics say it’s not appropriate for such a violent crime.-> Learn more

Editor’s Note: After a brief hiatus this spring, Highlights & Happenings, the newsletter of the School of Social Work at Portland State University, resumes with its spring/summer 2017 issue. Moving forward the newsletter will be published once each quarter. Look for the next issue in November 2017.

Congratulations, Graduates!

Congratulations to the School of Social Work graduates who participated in Portland State University commencement ceremonies at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter in Portland. This year the School graduated 329 students in its Bachelors in Social Work, Child and Family Studies, and Master in Social Work programs, as well as its Ph.D. Program in Social Work & Social Research.

The School’s MSW program saw a 91% retention rate among students graduating this year, an impressive statistic.

The MSW program continued its tradition of being one of the largest Master’s programs at PSU, graduating 207 students.

The undergraduate Child and Family Studies program graduated 32 students in its brand new minor, broadening the scope and reach of this human services work.

Congratulations to all School of Social Work graduates and the friends and families who supported them throughout their educational journey!

We are proud of the work that our students, faculty, and staff do every day in our programs and in our community. In this edition of Highlights and Happenings, we are excited to recognize their admirable work as we say goodbye to our graduates and look forward to welcoming new students into our programs!

Highlights

At a recent end of school year potluck lunch and celebration, the School of Social Work bid a fond farewell to three retiring faculty — Pauline Jivanjee, Vicki Cotrell, and Mindy Holliday.

Dr. Vicki Cotrell came to the School of Social Work in 1998. Vicki served in a variety of important faculty leadership positions in the School during her 19 years here, as well as being a well-loved instructor. Vicki’s passion for and focus on aging has been irreplaceable. Her sense of humor, warmth, and collegiality have been her trademarks, as well as the excellence she exhibits in everything she does. Even as she retires, Vicki continues to teach us about the beauty and power of transitions related to growing older! Thank you for your incredible service to the School of Social Work community, Vicki, and best wishes for a happy retirement!

Dr. Pauline Jivanjee came to the School of Social Work in 1990. In addition to being a coveted instructor, Pauline has served in a variety of deeply valued professional leadership roles — including associate dean — during her 27 years at the School. She’s been known as a steady, warm, and professional presence who embodies both the rigor and ethics of social work practice. Pauline has also contributed broadly to literature regarding children’s mental health, particularly as it relates to the inclusion of youth and family voice and equity and systems reform. Her legacy is a strengthened school and field as a result of her efforts. She’s most recently been a leader in successful efforts to recruit and support social work students to enter careers in the integrated health practice. Thank you for your incredible service to the School of Social Work community, Pauline, and best wishes for a happy retirement!

Mindy Holliday, MSW, came to the School of Social Work in 1997. She brought with her a successful social work career in the community prior to her transition into higher education. These connections aided her in being part of founding and leading the original “distance option” MSW program across the state of Oregon. Because of this, Mindy has deep professional connections throughout every corner of the region, having been connected to so many practicing social workers educated outside of the metro area. She’s taught throughout the BSW and MSW programs in a variety of topic areas. Most recently, she’s taught courses that introduced social work as a career option as well as other BSW cornerstone courses.

Thank you and congratulations, Vicki, Pauline, and Mindy, for your incredible service to the School of Social Work community. Best wishes for a happy retirement!

Students of Color Caucus Outlines Expectations for Social Work Education at PSU

In May 2017, the School of Social Work received a document entitled “Expectations for Portland State University’s School of Social Work” that was developed by the School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus (SOCC), a group of 30+ students and staff of the School.

Mollie Janssen, MSW, LCSW, LICSW, has been named statewide flexible degree/online option coordinator for the Bachelor’s of Social Work (BSW) Program in the School of Social Work at Portland State University. She joins at the rank of assistant professor of practice and will begin her new role on September 1, 2017.

Ms. Janssen has extensive experience as a program coordinator, trainer, and consultant. She is committed to honoring people as the experts in their own lives. She focuses on working with and learning from people who have been historically marginalized. She is experienced in working with programs, professional development, and clinical supervision that is grounded in trauma informed anti-oppressive practices.

Mollie is passionate about travel, art, and new adventures. She enjoys spending time with her two busy boys ages 10 and 5.

We welcome Mollie to her new role in the BSW Program and as a continuing member of our School of Social Work community!

Lisa Cordova MSW, LCSW, has been named field specialist for the School of Social Work field education program. She’ll start her permanent role on June 1, 2017.

Lisa is no stranger to the SSW. Her first connection with the School of Social Work at Portland State University was as an MSW field instructor in 2010. She then joined PSU in February of 2013 to produce the 50/50 Photo Story Project,Day of Service and 50th Grand Celebration.

Lisa earned her MSW from the University of Denver in 1996. Before coming to PSU, the majority of Lisa’s social work practice was in community agencies with a focus on violence prevention and early intervention, particularly youth relationship violence, interpersonal violence and child abuse. Lisa is particularly passionate about the power of youth voice and leadership in impacting social change. As a licensed clinical social worker, individual counseling and psychoeducational support groups with teens were also core components of her work.

Outside of work, spending time with family and friends is high on her list. Lisa enjoys Pacific NW standbys like camping, hiking, gardening, and coffee. She and her partner have two daughters, a dog, a cat and a mini-flock of chickens.

Social Work Faculty and Students Visit Seoul, South KoreaA team of Master and Doctoral School of Social Work faculty and students recently returned from an international field experience in Seoul, South Korea. This international exchange trip included lectures, site visits, and cultural experiences exploring how the human services environments in Korea and the US are becoming more complex, international, and interdisciplinary.

Our School participants were joined by colleagues from the Hatfield School of Government in the PSU College of Urban and Public Affairs, the Oregon State Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, and the Seoul Welfare Foundation.

Two Social Work Ph.D. Students Successfully Defend Their Dissertations

Stephanie Sundborg, a doctoral student in the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research, successfully defended her dissertation on Wednesday, May 3, 2017. Her dissertation, entitled “Foundational Knowledge And Other Predictors of Commitment To Trauma Informed Care,” was reviewed by committee members (as pictured) Junghee Lee, Stephanie Sundborg, Julie Rosenzweig, Diane Yatchmenoff, and Greg Townley. Congratulations, Dr. Sundborg!

Rebecca Yazzie, also a doctoral student, successfully defended her dissertation on Friday, May 5, 2017.

Culture and Conversation Series Ends Sixth Year with Dynamic Contributors

This spring the School successfully produced another year of “Culture and Conversation,” a lecture and dialogue series organized by the School of Social Work to elevate public voices who are concerned with issues of identity, equity, and community. Three major events took place this year.

For the first event titled “Radical Resistance Post Election,” the School partnered with Momentum Alliance, Oregon Queer Youth Summit, andSocial Justice Fundfor a workshop and panel focused on social movement building skills. After the panel, participants were given the opportunity to develop plans for community action.

“El Cuento/The Story,” the second event in the series, was a workshop facilitated by faculty member Michele Martinez Thompson as well as two Master’s of Social Work alumni, Martha Calderon and Gerardo Jimenez. This event, designed specifically for people of color, provided the opportunity to discuss identity by sharing personal and community experiences and allowed for the exploration of peer mentoring and community networking to take place.

At the final event, “Queering Sexual Violence: Radical Voices from Within the Anti-Violence Movement,” Jennifer Patterson, editor of Queering Sexual Violence, and contributor Angie River led a discussion centered around queer, trans and gender non-conforming survivors. It was followed by a panel of community advocates working on issues of sexual assault in queer communities.

The School of Social Work thanks the organizers, presenters, and attendees for their contributions to another successful year of Culture and Conversation!

Dean Laura Nissen Hosts Social Work Western Consortium at PSU At the end of March 2017, Dean Laura Nissen hosted the first meeting of the Grand Challenges for Social Work Western Consortium on the Portland State University campus. The all-day meeting attracted social work deans from the University of Washington, the University of Southern California, and other schools in the west to strategize on how to use the Grand Challenges for Social Work in their teaching, scholarship, and research.

Led by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, the Grand Challenges for Social Work is a groundbreaking initiative to champion social progress powered by science. It’s a call to action for all of us to work together to tackle our nation’s toughest social problems.

Addressing racial and ethnic disparities across juvenile justice systems. The positive role of the arts in developing at risk youth. These were just two of the many themes explored at the recent Reclaiming Futures National Conference.

Reclaiming Futures, an approach and model developed in the Regional Research Institute within the Portland State University School of Social Work, promotes improving juvenile justice through coordinated individual response and community directed engagement. It helps to identify and offer services to young people and their families who are struggling with substance use and/or mental health concerns.

Reclaiming Futures has now been used in 42 communities in 18 states. Each year Reclaiming Futures leadership comes together to share best practices, network with one another, and learn the latest evidence about promising and effective juvenile justice reform strategies.

One session panelist at this year’s conference was Robert Schwebel, Ph.D., whose Seven Challenges program offers an evidence-based approach to provide counseling to young people that incorporates work on alcohol and other drug problems. In his presentation, Dr. Schwebel made the case for why a counseling approach to working with youth based on empowerment can be more effective than one rooted in control.

Happenings

Would you like to help a student transition into their future career? Would you like to reaffirm your passion for the fields of social work and human services?

The Mentor Program in the Portland State University School of Social Work pairs professionals in the community with current PSU social work and child, youth, and family studies students to enhance students’ skills, develop their job search network, and clarify their career goals.

Student Spotlights

SAGE, the Commission on Sexual and Gender Equity at Portland State University, envisions a campus environment where all sexual and gender identities and expressions are celebrated, supported, and fully and equitably included in all aspects of campus life. Congratulations, Chris!

The purpose of the David and Linda Smeltzer Scholarship is to attract outstanding students who use wheelchairs for mobility. These are students who contribute to the campus learning environment by sharing their unique strengths and diverse perspectives through their involvement in on-campus activities and participation in community service. Congratulations, Dustina!

The School of Social Work Students of Color Caucus received the Distinguished Team Award at Portland State University’s 2017 President’s Diversity Awards.

This group of School of Social Work students — that hey worked together to create and present a list of expectations for racial equity to Portland State University School of Social Work leadership, faculty and staff — were honored for their advocacy, engagement, support and other accomplishments. Congratulations, Students of Color Caucus members!

Program Spotlight

New Hybrid Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) Program Beginning Fall 2018

Beginning fall 2018 students can earn their BSW with classes online and in Eugene, Oregon, with a hybrid online and face-to-face Bachelor’s in Social Work degree (BSW) from the nationally ranked School of Social Work at Portland State University.

In this new hybrid program, that admits its first entering class in fall 2018, students will complete 80% of your courses online and 20% face-to-face in Eugene, Oregon. This makes our hybrid BSW perfect for community college transfer students, working adults, and for students who live outside the Portland area. Students will complete their first year of courses entirely online. In the second year, students attend some classes online and others face-to-face on the weekends in Eugene, Oregon. They’ll learn from the same faculty and instructors that teach in our on-campus program in Portland and gain rigorous training and practical experience to build social work skills and a solid foundation for social service careers.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Gifts from clients: Always taboo?

Conflicts of interest can arise when clients give gifts to social workers, but accepting them can be ethically justifiable if professionalism isn’t compromised, ethics expert Allan Barsky advises. “If gift-giving is an authentic expression of the client’s gratitude, then the principle of self-determination suggests that social workers should honor the client’s wishes.”

Last month marked the 50th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the landmark Supreme Court decision that invalidated state laws restricting interracial marriage. Recently, the New York Times asked readers to share their experiences about being in a mixed-race relationship. We received more than 2,000 stories in just a few days.

When a seat opened up in the Oregon House of Representatives, Tawna Sanchez’s cell phone started buzzing with texts and calls. The gist: Go for it.

“My first reaction was, are you out of your mind?” Sanchez says. “Then I started seriously thinking about it and said, ‘What the hell.’ I can keep doing what I’m doing now, or I could step it up and do a little more.”

Tawna Sanchez, MSW, now serves Oregon House District 43 representing the North Portland neighborhood where she grew up. It was a historic victory. She becomes just the second Native American to serve in the Oregon Legislature. Tawna earned her Master in Social Work degree from Portland State University in 2012.

Food insecurity and houselessness continue to challenge college and university students across the nation. We’re no different in the School of Social Work at Portland State University. A 2013 survey by our faculty showed that 43% of School of Social Work students experience food insecurity. This means that many of our students struggle with getting access to affordable, nutritious food most days of the week.

I am in constant awe of the resiliency of our School of Social Work students. Students have shared with me that despite the tremendous barriers they face, they remain as determined as ever to complete their education. With the support of the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund, our students are able to meet some of their basic needs, even if just for the week, allowing them to focus on their success in school.

Over the fall and winter terms, 16 unique students across our programs accessed the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund. These students have experienced incredible challenges since the start of the school year, including houselessness, food insecurity, unemployment, bankruptcy, car and home theft, mental health struggles, hospitalizations, and loss of child care and scholarship support. We know that students with non-dominant identities experience greater challenges when accessing more traditional funds. 65% of students accessing our fund were students of color, and 69% were first generation students.

Just over the past two months, there has been a noticeable uptick in students experiencing housing insecurity. Many of our students live paycheck to paycheck, often with the fear of possible eviction. Some students have been fortunate enough to find temporary housing on the couches of friends and mentors. While our fund does not solve the housing crisis in Portland, it certainly helps remove some stress for students.

I hope you will join us for our first ever Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub in downtown Portland this Tuesday, March 14th beginning at5pm to raise funds for our School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund.

Highlights

Social Work Month in March

This Social Work Month we salute the social workers who stand up for millions of people each day.

They stand up by comforting people who are experiencing devastating illnesses and mental health crises, ensuring they get the best care while on the road to recovery. They stand up and support our brave military personnel, veterans and their families. They work in communities and with national, state and local government to provide services and pass legislation to stand with and help the most vulnerable.

Child, family and school social workers stand up by protecting children who have been abused or neglected, helping children find new families through adoption, and ensuring young people reach their full academic and personal potential.

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) launched the Social Workers Stand Up! campaign during Social Work Month 2017 in March to educate the public about contributions of social workers and why the professional title of social worker is so important.

The aim of this campaign is to improve the image and respect of the social work profession by educating the public, media and elected officials about social work.

When a seat opened up in the Oregon House of Representatives, Tawna Sanchez’s cell phone started buzzing with texts and calls. The gist: Go for it.

“My first reaction was, are you out of your mind?” Sanchez says. “Then I started seriously thinking about it and said, ‘What the hell.’ I can keep doing what I’m doing now, or I could step it up and do a little more.”

Tawna Sanchez, MSW ’12, now serves Oregon House District 43 representing the North Portland neighborhood where she grew up. It was a historic victory. She becomes just the second Native American to serve in the Oregon Legislature.

Congratulations to Portland State University School of Social Work Ph.D. student Maria Carolina González-Prats and Bachelor of Social Work student Deborah Lynn Peterson who are featured as part of the I Am Not Invisible exhibition honoring Oregon women military veterans.

I Am Not Invisible is a remarkable exhibition featuring 20 portraits of Oregon women military veterans.

There are more than 28,000 women veterans in Oregon — a number that has risen steadily over the past three decades — representing almost one-tenth of Oregon’s veteran population.

The School of Social Work is sad to share that Lynn E. Thompson, retired faculty from the Portland State University School of Social Work, died last month. He was 81 years old.

Lynn earned his BSW and MSW from University of California, Berkeley, where Gordon Hearn, the first dean of the School of Social Work at Portland State University, was his undergraduate advisor.

Lynn taught practice courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels from 1968 through 1987. He became assistant dean under Dean Ricky Ross in 1978 and continued in that position until 1987 when he retired from PSU.

Lynn and his wife Chris recently created a scholarship for MSW students in the School of Social Work, which will now be a living legacy to his dedication and leadership.

Happenings

Family and Friends Night at McMenamins Benefits Social Work Students

Join us for a festive Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub in downtown Portland. You can eat, drink, and support School of Social Work students in need all at the same time. 50% of the evening’s proceeds will go to the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund.

Student Spotlight

The Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research just wrapped up another successful application season, with 32 qualified candidates applying to Portland State’s social justice focused doctoral program. 10 applicants came from outside the United States, 18 outside the state of Oregon, and 11 applied with an interdisciplinary background, bringing degrees other than a Master of Social Work (MSW) to their application.

Students who accept Portland State’s invitation this spring will join a highly qualified group of Ph.D. students. One such student is Keela Johnson. Keela received both her BS in Sociology and Masters in Conflict Resolution from Portland State University. Her current research interest focuses on intercultural race dialogues and their effectiveness, emphasizing the trauma of sharing one’s experience of oppression with the dominant culture, affinity group development, and basic education around the social construction and history of American society.

As an advocate for racial and social equity, Keela has worked for over 10 years creating and facilitating workshops, trainings, and dialogues for organizations. She has done an internship with the Independent Police Review of Portland where she implemented a program she designed for disenfranchised communities. Keela also formerly held the position of Dialogue Coordinator and Specialist at Resolutions Northwest of Portland. She is currently an independent contractor and dialogue specialist for organizations in the Portland area.

Faculty News and Publications

News

People living outside in Portland struggle to meet their basic hygiene and health needs because of a shortage of showers, bathrooms and washer and dryers.

These were the results of a survey led by Lisa Hawash, MSW, assistant professor of practice. Lisa led a team of researchers and graduate students in a survey of 550 people experiencing homelessness and poverty.

One possible solution: a community hygiene center that is open all day, every day.

Beth Green, Ph.D., Callie Lambarth, MSW, and Diane Reid, MSW, prepared final reports with community stakeholders and Children’s Institute on the North Douglas County Community Needs Health Assessment. As a result of a community-engaged process to collect and analyze data, families with young children, service providers, and other community stakeholders crafted recommendations and identified priorities to promote access to health services and cultivate a culture of wellness in North Douglas County communities.

Staci Martin, Ed.Dc, has been awarded a scholarship from Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Martin is PSU doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership Curriculum and Instruction and an adjunct instructor in Child and Family Studies in the School of Social Work.

Martin was awarded the $1,300 Louise M. Berman Fellows Award for doctoral students. She was recognized for her research project, Co-Creating Spaces of Critical Hope.

The scholarship is based on academic success, involvement in Kappa Delta Pi, and a written essay. She was selected from pool of applicants from students around the country.

Dora Raymaker, Ph.D., assistant research professor in the Regional Research Institute (RRI), recently received $467,000 from two National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to launch a community based participatory research study to understand the challenges and success factors for autistic people in the workplace. The study focuses on professional employment.

To showcase her work and find prospective study participants, Dora held Portland State University’s first ever Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on Reddit Science. Dora answered more than 25 of the over 250 questions and comments logged in her one-hour online session, which was seen and “voted” on by over 2,500 Reddit users. In fact, hours before her session began she was trending on Reddit Science!

Reddit is an American social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website used by over 542 million monthly visitors. It became especially popular when President Obama did AMAs during his time in the White House.

Raphael, D. & Curry-Stevens, A. (2016). Surmounting the barriers: Making action on the social determinants of health a public policy priority. In D. Raphael (Ed.) Social determinants of health: Canadian perspectives (3rd Edition, pp.561-583). Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources

The School of Social Work’s faculty affairs and equity, inclusion and community partnership council (EPIC) committees recently put together a set of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Resources.

The new founding dean of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Portland State University School of Public Health, Dr. David Bangsberg, M.D., M.P.H., discussed the role public health education plays in addressing social determinants of health at his OHSU Illuminate keynote address.

Taking the first step: OHSU and PSU stand together against gun violence

Gun violence is a preventable public health issue. From shootings by and against police officers, to mass casualties at schools, churches and community venues, gun violence is rampant around the world.

Students, faculty, and staff at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and Portland State University met recently at the Collaborative Life Sciences Building on Portland’s South Waterfront to listen, discuss and understand the impact this issue has on the community.

Suicide attempts by Utah teens have declined 20% in the year since The University of Utah introduced a smartphone app for quick connections with counselors during crises, according to preliminary state data. Rainey Boateng, a licensed clinical social worker, says he has been called a lifesaver by some of the thousands of users of Safe UT to whom he has responded.

Has programs in Ashland, Bend, Eugene, Salem, in addition to a fully online program?

Was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1962 to serve the whole state?

Our work and reach extends well beyond the Portland metro area.

Each cohort of students at our distance option sites attends class, engages in group work, completes field education internships, and develops professional practice skills to benefit each community’s particular needs. Students enter their distance option program bringing unique experience centered in their home communities with dedication to continuing this work locally after graduation.

As distance option coordinator for the School of Social Work, I work with an amazing team of site coordinators in each of our other Oregon locations. These individuals grow the distance option programs each day — implementing field instructor orientations and trainings; providing faculty onboarding support; mediating student concerns and needs; and marketing and recruiting to find new students and field faculty. In short, they do everything required for this program to run successfully. They are each passionate professionals who know and truly understand their local social work landscape. With their local knowledge, they help our students connect with organizations and agencies to support needs and provide guidance around the critical social needs in their communities.

Visiting faculty are another critical component of our distance programs. Hopping on planes, jumping on trains, or driving each week to join students in their communities, they teach an entire week’s worth of content in one eight-hour classroom day. Bringing faculty from Portland to our distance sites, as well as utilizing local adjunct faculty, ensures all students receive the same quality social work education across program options.

As we enter 2017, we salute and thank our statewide School of Social Work faculty, staff and students for bringing their passion and work to all corners of our state.

Highlights

School of Social Work Welcomes New Staff

John Barnett is our new Operations & Administrative Services Manager within the Dean’s office of the School of Social Work following the departure of Diane Coward who is now across the street at the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science. John has extensive experience in this area. He worked for the SSW Dean’s office in 2008 to 2013 and has been with the Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services (CCF) since then.

John Waddingham has joined the School of Social Work team as the MSW Student Affairs Assistant. Prior to joining us John worked as the Student Services Administrative Assistant and Financial Aid Representative at East West College of the Healing Hearts.

An Open Letter to the Portland State University School of Social Work Community from Dean Laura Nissen

“It has been a complex, busy, and challenging month.”

“[A]ll schools of social work are taking note of the powerful challenges ahead.”

“Equity; racial, social, political and economic justice; competence; dignity and worth of the person; and integrity — all are core values we will steadfastly uphold moving forward.”

“We affirm our commitment to our community, our students and our goals for peace, equity and justice in our country and our world.”

One of our faculty members and Social Determinants of Health scholar, Dr. Christina Nicolaidis, and members of the Social Determinants of Health Initiative sponsored a special event on inauguration day. Approximately 60 health and social services professionals, faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered at Portland State University to commit to action and pledge to stand up for social justice.

This SDHI Inauguration Day Commitment to Action Ceremony was organized by the Social Determinants of Health Initiative, a collaboration among Portland State University, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), community organizations, governmental agencies, and local health systems.

Those who attended had the opportunity to articulate a commitment, write it on a ribbon, and tie the ribbon to a net as a symbol of our collective work for social justice. The ribbons surrounded a framed Social Justice Pledge. This expression of collective work is displayed in the School of Social Work space in Portland.

Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to the collaborative team that produced this powerful event!

An innovative visiting scholar and professional development program of School of Social Work was recently recognized as the top program of its kind by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) in Seoul, South Korea.

As part of this initiative, three visiting scholars from the SMG have been living in Portland the past two years while they study and research at Portland State. In addition, sixteen SMG officers came to the School last summer for a short term training program focused on exploring and observing social work and human service programs, service delivery systems, and policy making.

These collaborative projects of the School of Social Work and Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) are led by Dr. Junghee Lee, associate professor and program director of the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program in Social Work and Social Research, with generous support from Dr. Laura Nissen, dean of the School of Social Work, PSU’s Office of International Affairs, and the College of Urban and Public Affairs.

Happenings

Family and Friends Night at McMenamins Benefits Social Work Students

Join us for a festive Friends & Family Night at McMenamins Market Street Pub in downtown Portland. You can eat, drink, and support School of Social Work students in need all at the same time. 50% of the evening’s proceeds will go to the School of Social Work Student Emergency Fund.

Join the social work community across the state on Thursday, March 9th and learn to lobby, speak with local state representatives, understand issues from the social work perspective and participate in advocacy for Oregon!

Donor Spotlight

School of Social Work Recognizes Generosity of Christine and David Vernier

Portland State University recently recognized the generosity of Christine and David Vernier, local technology entrepreneurs, at a reception at the Simon Benson House on the PSU campus in Portland.

Thanks to a $3.6 million gift from the Verniers, 18 Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Child and Family Studies (CFS) students received scholarships this year and are being recognized as Vernier Endowed Scholars.

Pictured here, clockwise from the top, are Ka Lee (BSW, expected ’17); Heather Haworth (BSW, expected ’17); Dr. Laura Nissen, dean of the School of Social Work; Christine Vernier; and Anna Keene (BSW, expected ’17). Ka, Heather, and Anna are three of this year’s Vernier Endowed Scholars from the School of Social Work.

The School of Social Work and its Vernier Endowed Scholars recipients sincerely thank Christine and David Vernier for their amazing gift supporting the future of social work and human services!

Field Education Director Julie Kates, MSW ’95, was recently selected to participate in the Office of Academic Innovation Mini-Grant Learning Cohort in Equity and Social Justice in Community Based Learning. Julie and her colleagues will work to develop and support pedagogy in equity, social justice action-based community-based learning within their departments and the university in general by adapting current courses, developing new courses, reviewing research, and modeling a justice-based educational praxis.

E. Roberto Orellana, Ph.D., MPH, MSW, associate dean for research and sponsored projects and associate professor co-authored a chapter in the 3-volume second edition of Sexual Assault Victimization Across the Life Span. His chapter is entitled “Screening for and Treatment of Sexual Abuse Histories in Boys and Male Adolescents.” Sexual Assault Victimization Across the Life Span is the essential reference for sexual assault responders.

Portland State University School of Social Work assistant research professor Dora Raymaker, Ph.D., and her $467,000 grant to study autism in the workplace is featured on a KATU News report.

Janet Walker, Ph.D., associate research professor, director of the Pathways to Positive Futures Rehabilitation Research and Training Center and co-director of the National Wraparound Initiative, and her team recently visited Australia and New Zealand to present on and learn more about youth and young adult mental health innovations.

Pictured above are Tamara Sale, principal investigator of Project EASA Connections and EASA (Early Assessment and Support Alliance) Program Development Coordinator with Patrick McGorry, Professor of Youth Mental Health and Executive Director of Orygen, the National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Australia.

Prof. McGorry is an internationally-recognized expert in the field of early psychosis interventions.

Psychotic disorders like schizophrenia can often lead to a lifetime of disability. Schizophrenia, in particular, usually starts during the transition years to adulthood. Promising new research shows that early interventions for psychosis in young people may help improve lifelong outcomes.

Janet and Celeste Seibel, Manager for Project AMP+, met with staff from Tu Mai Awa, a Wraparound project in Hastings, New Zealand, that focuses on working with children and families in a way that builds on the strengths of indigenous culture and community. Janet and others are sitting by a Korowai, a traditional cloak which was made by families to symbolize how the program was supportive.

Janet and Celeste in Napier, New Zealand, met with Ruth Gammon, a key Wraparound trainer and expert in New Zealand.

Janet presented on cost-effective strategies for supporting high-quality Wraparound to a roundtable of key officials from New Zealand’s ministries of Health, Education and Social Welfare, as well as representatives from non-profits and the police.

Wraparound is an intensive, holistic method of engaging with individuals with complex needs, most typically children, youth, and their families.

Wraparound is innovative in that it is community-based and offers an effective alternative to residential treatment for children and youth with behavioral health challenges.

Jivanjee, P., Brennan, E. M., Sellmaier, C., Gonzalez-Prats, M. C., & Members of the Pathways Transition Training Collaborative. (2016). Achieving Cross-System Collaboration to Support Young People in the Transition Years: A Tip Sheet for Service Providers. Portland, OR: Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University. -> Download

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

The Joint Office of Homeless Services is recruiting volunteers to help conduct surveys as part of the 2017 Homeless Street Count during the week of February 22 through February 28, 2017. Volunteers will assist service agencies throughout Multnomah County in conducting a short survey in an effort to obtain an accurate snapshot of the number of people who are experiencing homeless on a given night in our community.

How a simple Google doc called “What to do instead of calling the police” went viral and why it matters
This year, social justice warriors and those who love to hate them have probably come across the humble GoogleDoc What to do instead of calling the police. Compiled and circulated by New York-based education strategist Aaron Rose, What to do instead has been shared thousands of times on social media, and Aaron estimates that between 200 and 300 people are viewing the document at any one time.

Practitioners of nonviolent struggle have an entire arsenal of “nonviolent weapons” at their disposal. Included are 198 of them, classified into three broad categories: nonviolent protest and persuasion, noncooperation (social, economic, and political), and nonviolent intervention. A description and historical examples of each can be found in volume two of The Politics of Nonviolent Action, by Gene Sharp. From the Albert Einstein Institution.

As we close out 2016 and approach the next chapter in our country’s political journey in the new year, I wanted to update you on what the School of Social Work has been up to since November’s national election outcome, which has been on the minds of so many of us.

Our School of Social Work community had a variety of responses to the recent election results. The last month and a half has been a whirlwind of building greater community with each other. Students, faculty, staff, and many of our community partners have participated in reflection sessions here in the School of Social Work both in person and online where folks listened and shared their reactions to all that is happening on the national political landscape. We are a community, and now is the time for us to watch out for and be in touch with each other.

Safety has been our first concern. Many people in our community — both in our programs and in the community at large — have expressed fear and anxiety as we read that, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Oregon has a particularly high rate of “hate crime” activity following the election. We moved quickly to establish safe spaces in our School. We also join with you to celebrate that PSU has elected to designate itself as a “sanctuary” university. We posted “We Welcome” posters around public areas of the School of Social Work spaces in Portland to stand in solidarity with our diverse Portland State community and publicly display our support. We created a “Wall of Hope” in our Portland academic space and encouraged our community to share thoughts and resources.

Nationally, schools of social work are active in considering all the implications for our shared work moving forward. Senior members of our School of Social Work community have lived through political administrations that were out of sync with —and even hostile to — many aspects of the social work code of ethics. We need to learn our lessons quickly about how to prepare for social policy work in a very different climate than we expected.

Moving forward, learning to talk and work with one another remains a powerful priority. This talking and working will take many forms. It will happen across kitchen tables, in our classrooms, at our field practicum sites, in legislative offices, and in the streets through demonstrations and the exercise of first amendment rights. In this way we will keep going, keep helping each other, and keep doing what we do so well — invite, protect, and ensure progress. After assuring safety for our most vulnerable, we push forward.

Though the work we now must do may be different than what we thought it would be just a few months ago, it is urgent and it matters. I call upon all of you to uphold the values and principles of our profession. Let’s keep learning, give each other the grace and space to adjust to the results of the election, and work to envision and build the world that is to come.

Thank you for all you do. Let’s believe in each other and come together for the important work ahead.

Highlights

School of Social Work Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

Dr. Jill Hoffman joins the School of Social Work as a tenure-track faculty member this fall. Drawing from prior experience with the early intervention system in Philadelphia, her research interests focus on social-emotional development in vulnerable young children. Throughout the first five years of life, young children may come into contact with educational, social service, and healthcare professionals. Jill’s research specifically examines how professionals across a variety of service sectors support young children’s social-emotional development. Jill’s dissertation investigates the relationship between Head Start center characteristics, teachers’ classroom practices, and low-income children’s social-emotional development.

Jill brings a wide range of expertise to our school and will be working across the BSW and MSW programs initially. Jill earned her BS in Psychology from Penn State University, her MSW from Temple University, and a minor in Statistical Data Analysis from Ohio State University. She received her Ph.D. in Social Work from Ohio State in August 2016.

Mathew Uretsky is a social work practitioner and researcher with rich experience in and a deep passion for working with schools, families, and community organizations to improve outcomes in underserved communities. After completing his B.A. at the University of California, Santa Cruz in psychology, Mathew completed a dual Masters in Public Health and Social Work at San Diego State University. He then served as a Peace Corps volunteer in South Africa developing community-based programs for orphans and vulnerable children affected by HIV and AIDS.

Mathew has helped students experiencing homelessness in the Bay Area connect with services and support through his work as the McKinney-Vento liaison for the Oakland Unified School District. As a statistician and doctoral research fellow in the School of Social work at University of Maryland Baltimore, Mathew works with state agencies to improve their capacity to use administrative data for policy and program development.

Mathew’s research interests include the development and evaluation of interventions to support positive youth development. More specifically, his work examines the risk and protective factors that impact the academic and behavioral development of children and youth, with a focus on how the school and family environment influence student outcomes.

Mathew enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and two young children. He especially enjoys hiking and just about anything to do with the water. He is looking forward to exploring all the parks in Portland with his family and is always on the lookout for a good playground.

Sara Lavender is our manager for front office operations. Sara is a PSU alumni. She got her undergrad degree in Applied Linguistics and Spanish. She’s a huge nerd for all things language, how it is used in identity formation, and how it intersects with social justice. She’s passionate about higher education administration and is planning to apply for the PACE masters program at PSU. When not working, she’s reading, watching cartoons or sci-fi, or listening to bachata.

Social Work Alumni Elected to Oregon State Legislature

Congratulations to two School of Social Work alumni who were elected to the Oregon House of Representatives in the November elections.

Tawna Sanchez, MSW ’12, will represent House District 43, which includes parts of North and Northeast Portland. She is the second Native American to represent Portland in the state Legislature. She is the director of family services at the Native American Youth and Family Center and has served on the Family Services Review Commission, a governor-appointed body that advises the Department of Human Services.

Diego Hernandez, MSW ’12, was elected to represent House District 47. Hernandez is a Reynolds School District board member and serves on the Oregon Commission on Hispanic Affairs.

We’re proud of our Portland State University social work alumni who use their education, skills and experiences to change society through legislative leadership and action!

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has announced grant program awards in excess of $700,000 will be given to Portland State University (PSU) in support of four campus law enforcement and community justice initiatives.

The awards recognize and support the work of both law enforcement and academic organizations in developing new and innovative ways of administering justice programs on and off campus.

The funded programs vary in size, scope, and subject matter. A $400,000 grant has been awarded by the DOJ Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in support of a research partnership between PSU, the Center for Court Innovation, Multnomah County Family Court, and additional community partners. The goal of the project is to generate culturally responsive practices and policies related to procedural justice for survivors of domestic violence.

Happenings

Elevating Impact Summit

The School of Social Work is partnering with Portland State University’s Elevating Impact Summit, an all-day event designed to bring social entrepreneurs and change-makers together to share emerging strategies and techniques to promote the social welfare by means of public, private, and academic venture. From ancient mythology to future technology, Summit speakers will explore how we shape emergent industries and technologies with a lens on positive change, and consider how lessons from the past help us navigate an unpredictable future.

Register with our 20% off Community Partner discount code: PARTNER17

The Summit also includes the Elevating Impact Pitch Fest, Impact Awards, interactive activities, a networking lunch, and a wine and beer reception.

Student Spotlight

MSW Advanced Practice Students Create Solidarity Project to Advocate for the Remission of the Dakota Access Pipeline

Portland State University Master of Social Work (MSW) students in Dr. Bowen McBeath’s Wednesday afternoon Planning and Leading Communities and Organizations (PLCO) course this term have mobilized and created a postcard campaign in solidarity with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe against the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

Led by students in the class who identify with their indigenous roots and in support of those who are protecting the water at Standing Rock, the class developed a plan to raise funds through a GoFundMe page and held a fundraising dance. These efforts are supporting a goal of sending 10,000 signed postcards addressed to President Barack Obama requesting that he revoke the federal permits to build the DAPL on sacred grounds and instead invest in wind energy projects. The class is also repeating the long-standing request that the U.S. government honors its treaties with tribes.

“After the election we were trying to figure out how to be a community and how to be doing action,” said Jessica Williams, MSW ‘17. “This was a really great way for us to build that community and also take part in something that was a direct action around a cause everyone felt very strongly about.” She feels she’s benefited strongly from the project. “It’s been a great learning lesson. I’ve been in social work for a long time and wondering how to get involved in direct action when I’m working full time, going to school, and doing my internship. It’s been one of the best learning experiences so far in my MSW journey.”

Shelia Danzuka, MSW ‘17, who lives on on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation with her family, also reflected on the real-world nature of the project. “This was such a great opportunity at a time when some of us felt like the [political] situation was hopeless,” said Shelia. “This class gave us an opportunity to do something where we could move things forward practically, not just write a paper for a grade. I think all of us will take away meaning from this.”

“Indigenous people around the world and at Standing Rock have been exploited, abused, moved around, pushed around, erased and ignored for over 500 years,” said Rosella Stanley, MSW ‘17. “As social workers, we’re supposed to be identifying the people who need the most amplification and solidarity and strengthen our connection to them. We’re here to lift them up and work for their causes.”

To date, the class has raised over $2,000, printed out 5,000 postcards based upon an original art print generously donated by indigenous two-spirit artist Clay River, and gathered and mailed over 1,000 signed postcards to President Barack Obama.

Students in the School of Social Work’s PLCO advanced practice concentration gain skills to collaborate with natural leaders and support their social justice efforts in diverse community and organizational contexts. At its heart, PLCO emphasizes the importance of engaging in social work practice in culturally humble and inclusive ways. “This effort has been a fantastic way for us to come together to build community intentionally and focus our efforts around the needs of our local and global communities,” said Dr. Bowen McBeath, professor in the School of Social Work. “This is what social work is all about.” #NoDAPL #socialworkinaction

Field Spotlight

Brian and May: Independent Living Resources

“Find the humanity in every client you serve.” “Look for evidence of resilience and reflect these qualities back to those you work with.” These are just two pieces of advice that May Altman, LCSW, associate director of Independent Living Resources, shared with her student intern, Brian Nickerson, MSW ’17, this past year.

Brian worked at Independent Living Resources as a peer counselor for people with disabilities. “Some of the folks I worked with didn’t have much experience being seen and heard and deeply considered in an authentic way,” said Brian.

“Bringing this high level of empathy into my sessions seemed to conjure up deep vulnerability, which often accelerated the change process [for my clients].”

Callie H. Lambarth, evaluation coordinator, and Beth L. Green, evaluation lead for Multnomah Project LAUNCH 2010-2015 are among those who contributed to a new report summarizing the impact of some of this work locally. ->Read the Report Here

Callie H. Lambarth and Lindsey Cochran prepared the Volunteering in Oregon report for the Oregon Community Foundation, designed to identify recommendations and actions for how OCF and its partners can encourage and support volunteer engagement and service in Oregon. ->Download the Report

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

Work by Portland and Multnomah County to ease homelessness among veterans since 2015 has earned federal recognition, Mayor Charlie Hales and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury announced Saturday morning.

Portland State University Students Build Sleeping Pods for City Houseless

Portland State University School of Architecture students took on a unique challenge this fall: design and build micro dwelling units, or “sleeping pods,” to keep Portland’s homeless safe and warm this winter.

Happy New (Academic) Year! We’ve launched yet another exciting school year here in the School of Social Work at Portland State University. At the annual welcoming and orientation events we held here in Portland last month, we ushered a new generation of human services professionals and scholars into our ranks. With so many social needs on the local, regional and national front, bringing competent, dedicated and compassionate social work and human services professionals into the world couldn’t be more important.

As we’ve geared up for the new year, there’s been lots going on and we have a number of ways you can engage with the School as well. This September / October issue of Highlights & Happenings features a few examples of what we’ve been up to and what’s coming up this fall. We hope you enjoy!

Highlights

Fall New Student Welcoming

With the start of the new academic year, the School of Social Work welcomed over 400 new students into its Bachelors of Social Work (BSW), Child and Family Studies (CFS), Master in Social Work (MSW), and Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Research programs this fall.

To get a glimpse of the fall welcoming and orientation activities produced by each of these programs, visit each program’s Flickr album.

Campus Pride named Portland State University among the Top 30 LGBTQ-friendly college campuses in the country on its 2016 “Best of the Best” list.

For eight years, the list has highlighted the most LGBTQ-inclusive colleges and universities when it comes to policy, program and practice in higher education. Campus Pride chose 30 campuses to highlight this year based on their overall ratings on the Campus Pride Index and specific LGBTQ-inclusive measures.

“Prospective students and their families today expect colleges to be LGBTQ-friendly,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride and creator of the Campus Pride Index. “They want to know what LGBTQ programs, services and resources are available on the campus — and which are the ‘Best of the Best.’”

School of Social Work Faculty and Staff Make Connections with Social Work at State Hospital

This past summer a group of faculty and staff from the School of Social Work visited the Oregon State Hospital (OHS) in Salem, Oregon.

OHS is the primary state-run psychiatric hospital in the state of Oregon. It is perhaps best known as the filming location for the Academy Award-winning movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest starring Jack Nicholson.

During its visit, the team from the School was given a special tour of the Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Healthby Dennie Brooks, daughter of longtime OHS superintendent Dean Brooks. The team also toured hospital facilities and spoke with social work professionals who work with OHS patients.

Pictured above are the participating School of Social Work faculty and staff along with representatives from the museum and hospital. Ph.D. candidate Beckie Child serves on the Oregon State Hospital Advisory Board and helped organize the visit.

The School salutes the important work the Oregon State Hospital provides to individuals and communities throughout our state!

Based on rankings submitted by alumni and student respondents, the School’s graduate programs were ranked #17 overall nationally and had the highest individual rates between quality of instruction, student diversity and satisfaction with degree.

According to the survey, “students from Portland State University appreciated the flexibility of a quality online education, with one student writing ‘I did not have to move to Portland, and was able to keep my current employment.’ The same student goes on to express her satisfaction with the program, saying, ‘Overall, I am pleased with the academic content and expertise of the professors.’”

Happenings

Portland State of Mind

The School of Social Work is again pleased to be participating in Portland State of Mind,Portland State University’s festival of music, films and other events designed to fire your imagination and deepen your knowledge.

This year we’re pleased to host a screening of a film about trauma informed care in action, a lecture by a nationally known speaker on child sexual abuse, and a day of service in our community. All events are free and open to the public. We hope you can join us!

Paper Tigers captures the pain, the danger, the beauty, and the hopes of struggling teens—and the teachers armed with new science and fresh approaches that are changing their lives for the better. Join us in following a year in the life of an alternative high school that has radically changed its approach to disciplining its students, becoming a promising model for how to break the cycles of poverty, violence, and disease that affects families. The film screening will be followed by a panel of experts working in the field of trauma-informed care.

Wouldn’t it be better to stop child sexual abuse before it starts? Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau, director of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, shares the latest research on child sexual abuse prevention and proposes novel new interventions that prevent abuse from occurring in the first place.

Day of Service
Saturday, October 22, 2016, 8:30am-2:00pm, Hoffmann Hall

Join us for a day of service highlighting food insecurity with a variety of engaging projects on and off campus. Enjoy morning refreshments, free lunch, and an engaging keynote speaker while we address driving for radical change in systems and service.

Student Spotlight

Lindsay Merritt has been a student in the School of Social Work’s Ph.D. in Social Work and Social Research program since 2014. Upon finishing high school, Lindsay moved from rural Oregon to Portland and then to the Bay Area where she remained for 5 years. “During this time, I continued working with youth and adults either with developmental disabilities and mental health challenges or severe substance use disorders. Despite having years of experience, I was frequently told I needed a degree.”

Due to the financial burden that many students experience when entering higher education, Lindsay thought that she would never be able to pay for school and therefore not be able to get a degree. However, a friendly introduction to a student from the University of California, Berkeley helped change all of that.

“I met a student from UC Berkeley and learned about the FAFSA [the federal form to apply for financial aid]. I’d determined my stay in the Bay Area was complete and I wanted to return to Oregon to be closer to family and friends, so I filled out the FAFSA and enrolled at Portland Community College.”

As a part of her Ph.D. focus, Lindsay is exploring the associations between victimization and alcohol/marijuana use among American Indian youth living on or near reservations. She is also a co-investigator on the Tribal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting evaluations (TMIECHV) at PSU’s Regional Research Institute. She and a colleague have partnered with two American Indian communities in support of their efforts to develop and implement culturally relevant and rigorous evaluations to address local home visiting priorities. Their work also contributes to the local maternal child health knowledge base.

“The relationships we have developed over the years with staff, community members, and tribal leaders are profound,” she says. “We will forever be connected by our work together, as we all have a deep commitment to serving the community and strive to bolster the continued well-being of all American Indian.”

Lindsay’s long personal and professional history with community-based treatment settings and the injustice she says she has witnessed therein inspired her. She feels the need to take a more active role in addressing implicit and explicit structural barriers that limit self-determination, autonomy, and interdependence. She is currently participating in the development of a number of publications.

Faculty Spotlight

The Portland Tribune ran a story that published some the findings of School of Social Work associate professor Ann Curry-Stevens and team’s report about newcomers to Portland and their experiences here.

Three highlights from the report:

“[N]ewcomers are much worse off than they were 10 years ago, even though on average they are more likely to have a college degree.”

“The results of the three-year study also found the fate of Portland’s newest residents depended a lot on the color of their skin.”

“[A]nnual incomes of newcomers of color plummeted from $14,481 to just $9,304.”

The 186-page report calls for vast improvements in the way Portland-area government services support immigrants and refugees moving to the area. A launch event for the report was held at Portland State University’s Native American Student and Community Center, and was attended by a broad array of community members, many of whom were immigrants themselves.

Faculty News and Publications

Brannan, A. M., Brennan, E. M., & Rosenzweig, J. M. (2016). Factors contributing to employment outcomes for caregivers of children and youth with mental health disorders. Paper presented at the Symposium on Employment and Exceptional Care: Workplace, Family and Community Supports at the Work and Family Researchers Network Conference, Washington, DC.

Brennan, E. M., Rosenzweig, J. M., & Brannan, A. M. (2016). Parents of Young People with Disabilities and their Work-Life Challenges. Portland, OR: Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures, Portland State University.

Koroloff, N., Sonheimer, D., Painter, K., & White, G. (2016). How Can We Learn About the Effectiveness of Transition Programs for Youth and Young Adults?: Findings from the Healthy Transitions Initiative. Webinar presented by the Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures. June 21, 2016. Recording and resources available online.

5 Resources for Social Work and Human Services Professionals

For some Oregon foster children, “home” is caseworker’s office

The loss of hundreds of foster-care beds in recent years has some Oregon social workers sharing their offices with children and youth in need of homes. Difficulties are many, caseworkers say, including the emotional strain of having a child witness unsuccessful calls for placement.

ABC is launching a series called “Speechless,” which features a family raising a child who has special needs and is nonverbal. Executive producer Scott Silveri recently shared that the series should not be viewed as the “disability show” but, rather, a series about a real family.

The Department of Education issued new guidelines about how states and school districts should meet the needs of homeless students. As part of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the guidelines address how homeless students are identified and how schools and social service providers can collaborate to help them.

“Homeless and living in a well-worn minivan on a shopping center parking lot where he works, Kevin Wolden was dealing with mental health issues stemming from some rough patches in his life.” A new outreach program in St. Charles, Mo., provides homeless people with health checkups and help with housing and other needs. Social workers canvas the community to find homeless people in need of help, both at common sites and hidden locations.

“On a given night in January, there were fewer than 40,000 homeless veterans, according to the country’s annual Point-in-Time count. That marked a 47 percent decrease since the same count was conducted six years prior.”